“Masked Decadence”? That’s some Coca-Cola Creations-type of naming right there. Well, at least it’s not standard Oreo-flavored creme. (Spotted by Robbie at Target.)
Spotted something new? Send your photos to [email protected].
belVita Nutrigrain, I mean, Fruitribakeain Bars. Yup. Totally failed at trying to mush them together. (Spotted by Julie at Wegmans.)
If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.
I look at this and wonder about Beanie Babies. I don’t think there were any food products with a Beanie Babies tie-in. No Beanie Babies cereal. No Beanie Babies cookies. Or were there? (Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)
Spotted something new? Send your photos to [email protected].
With the success of the Taco Bell Caramel Apple Empanada, the chain has apparently decided to find out if lightning can strike twice with the rollout of Chocolate Fudge & Caramel Empanadas. An order comes with one of each variety — two different empanadas for one price. Two empanadas enter and one empanada leaves. Okay, there’s no Mad Max competition. But if it were, I know which one should walk away.
After opening each with a pair of kitchen shears, I noticed the caramel filling was shy, while the chocolate filling looked ready to jump out of its shell. That’s also the case with their flavors — the caramel was muted and somewhat swallowed by its shell, while the chocolate filling stood out confudgently, I mean, confidently. If the caramel filling had been more generous, I imagine the flavor would’ve been better. So if you happen to find yourself having to share one with another person, give them the caramel one and tell them I said it’s the better one. They’ll never know because they probably have no idea who I am.
The two shells behave quite differently as well. The caramel one has a shell that’s slightly tough, while the chocolate one crumbles under the pressure of a bite, making it messier but easier to eat. And when the person you generously surrendered the caramel one to notices that, you can shrug and say, “See, the shell is so crumbly. You definitely got the better one.”
Because you’re stuck with one of each, the caramel empanada drags down the overall experience. It’s pretty much mid, and while the chocolate fudge is a step up, it’s not Choco Taco mind-blowing. Both could probably be improved with a scoop of ice cream — Taco Bell Chocolate Fudge & Caramel Empanadas a la Mode has a nice ring to it — but as they come, there’s no need to run to the border for these or Live Dás, I mean, EmpanaDás.
Purchased Price: $3.99
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (for both) 320 calories, 15 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.
*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.
Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments. Spotted something new? Send your photos to [email protected].
